Category: Previews

2017 Geneva Auto Show: 6 Speedy Picks for Under $60,000

Looking for a fun car or SUV in which to shuttle your family? Check out these six performance-oriented models that are coming to America.

Normally, the annual Geneva Motor Show showcases vehicles that won’t come to the U.S., along with ridiculously priced supercars that might get your adrenalin pumping but that you’ll never see on public roads let alone in your own driveway.

Naturally, this trend continued in 2017, but automakers also rolled out six new America-bound, performance-oriented models with at least four doors, a back seat big enough for kids, and a price tag under $60,000.

Intrigued? Check out what’s headed for the States starting in a matter of weeks, listed in alphabetical order.

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Redesigned 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport Speeds to the Border of GTI Territory

Turbocharged engine, independent rear suspension, hundreds of Nurburgring development laps hold promise

Volkswagen is the undisputed king of Pocket Rocket Mountain, and it has been for decades. If you’ve driven a Golf GTI or Golf R, especially lately, you understand why. Still, that doesn’t prevent competing automakers from trying to decode VW’s recipe and improve upon the result (at best), or mimic it (at worst).

With the debut of the redesigned 2018 Elantra GT, it’s Hyundai’s turn at bat. This time around, the company fortifies the new Elantra GT Sport model with a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque, a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and hundreds of laps of Germany’s Nurburgring Nordschleife to fine-tune the ride and handling.

Does this new Elantra GT Sport have what it takes? A drive will determine that. For now, all we’ve got is details.

Continue reading “Redesigned 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport Speeds to the Border of GTI Territory”

Dodge Brings More Power to More People with the 2018 Durango SRT

Meet the three-row SUV packing a 475-horsepower “Hemi” V8.

Seeking speed? Meet the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT, which takes just 4.4 seconds to reach 60 mph and covers the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds flat. Don’t take my word for it. The National Hot Rod Association certified those numbers for Dodge.

Equipped with a 475-horsepower, 6.4-liter “Hemi” V8 engine, the Durango SRT supplies seating for six, up to 84.5 cubic-feet of cargo space, and delivers impressive muscle at a relative bargain compared to luxury-branded high-performance SUVs.

This is more than just a straight-line acceleration tool. Dodge fortifies the Durango SRT with an 8-speed automatic with downshift rev matching, a performance all-wheel-drive system, a launch control system, an adaptive damping suspension, and seven SRT-tuned driving modes including one labeled “Track.” Brembo brake calipers clamp oversized ventilated discs (slotted up front to better dissipate heat), and a performance exhaust bellows from 4-inch outlets tucked under the rear bumper.

Dodge even provides Durango SRT owners with a free one-day session at the fabled Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. You just need to get yourself to Phoenix.

Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? There’s just one problem.

Continue reading “Dodge Brings More Power to More People with the 2018 Durango SRT”